The first of The 2012 Tesco Wine Fairs kicked off in Manchester last weekend to a roaring success. The Wine Tipster was once again presenting at the Tesco Workshops and as ever we had full sessions, packing plenty in to our 30 minute themed  tastings. This year in my Campo Viejo Rioja masterclasses, which included their impressive Tempranillo 2010,  we really had everyone thinking they were in Logrono (well , almost)  with manchego, delicious Gordal olives and moreish Salted Marcona Almonds from the wonderful Brindisa in Borough Market – you can buy online, so get ordering.  In the Jacob’s Creek sessions, strawberries were the perfect match to their fruity, light and lower alcohol Cool Harvest range, whilst in the New Zealand workshop Brancott Estate’s quality Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs were bang on form as ever.In this session The Wine Tipster also featured one of the best easy drinking and completely underrated reds around: Brancott Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011, £36.00 per case of 6 x 75cl down from £65.94 per case, Tesco Wine Club which is a steal at this price.

Away from the workshops there was an opportunity for everyone to have a go at a new, fun competition where you could become the guest pundit for the Tesco Wine Community and win a year’s supply of wine. To enter visit the Tesco Wine Community at each of the fairs and also remember whilst you are there to download the new Tesco Discover App.

Thank you Manchester and see you in Bristol 22nd/23rd September , Brighton 29th/30th September, Edinburgh October 20th/21st October or London 27th/28th October.

Just collected my reserved cartons of Woodland Farm’s Nothing but Natural Live Yogurt from the very helpful Chadlington Quality Foods. This yogurt is gorgeous, moreish and delicious with our home grown redcurrants and gooseberries. Look out for Woodland Farm’s fruit yogurts too.

Moving from the Cotswolds to Spain and today I have been providing some food and wine matching tips for some Spanish masterclass sessions that I am presenting in September.Tonight The Wine Tipster will be keeping the Spanish theme going with Gordal olives and salted almonds from Brindisa, matched with Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, £9.49, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose followed by Castillo D Clavijo Blanco 2009, Rioja, Bibendum, which is an old style white, oaky Rioja softened by citrus, fruity freshness. An alternative to Castillo D

Clavijo is Marqués de Cáceres’ classy Antea Barrel Fermented Blanco 2009, £9.99, Majestic or the quintessential white Rioja for me, Marqués de Murrieta Capellanía Blanco 2005, £18.95, Berry Brothers & Rudd, which has intense, oaky influence, balanced by attractive lemony fruit character. If this has put you in the mood to find out more about Spanish Food, Wine and Travel then subscribe to the high quality and in depth quarterly SpainGourmetour, contact Food and Wine from Spain Tel: 0207 – 467 – 2330.

Next week, Frankel will be the star turn at the Yorkshire Ebor Festival 22^nd-24^th August when he appears in the Juddmonte International Stakes at 3.40pm on Wednesday. Surprisingly there are still of plenty of tickets available for the Wednesday, so take a day off work and get along to see this magnificent thoroughbred because there won’t be another like him for a very long time.